Loews Corporation Reports Net Income for 2007

Business Wire, Feb 11, 2008

[TABLE OMITTED]
[TABLE OMITTED]

Carolina Group Reports Net Income for 2007

Loews Corporation (NYSE:LTR) today reported Carolina Group net income for the 2007 fourth quarter of $206 million, compared to $220 million in the 2006 fourth quarter. The decrease in net income is primarily due to a charge of $46 million, after taxes, related to litigation, partially offset by a lower effective tax rate as compared to 2006 due primarily to the statutory increase in the tax benefit related to the manufacturer's deduction and resolution of certain state tax uncertainties.

Net income per share of Carolina Group stock (NYSE:CG) for the fourth quarter of 2007 was $1.18, compared to $1.26 in the comparable period of the prior year. Carolina Group stock represented a 62.4% and 62.3% economic interest in the Carolina Group for the three months ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.

Net sales for the Carolina Group were $957 million in the fourth quarter of 2007, compared to $937 million in the 2006 fourth quarter. Domestic unit volume decreased 4.3% in the 2007 fourth quarter compared to the 2006 fourth quarter. The fourth quarter of 2006 was favorably impacted by increased wholesale purchases in anticipation of an industry price increase.

Carolina Group net income for the year ended 2007 was $855 million, compared to $760 million for the year ended 2006. The increase in net income is primarily due to higher effective unit prices resulting from price increases in December 2006 and September 2007 and lower sales promotion expenses, and a lower effective tax rate, partially offset by an increase in expenses for the State Settlement Agreements and the fourth quarter charge related to litigation. The effective tax rate was lower in 2007, as compared to 2006, due to the statutory increase in the tax benefit related to the manufacturer's deduction and resolution of certain state tax uncertainties.

Net income per share of Carolina Group stock for the year ended 2007 was $4.91, compared to $4.46 in the prior year. Carolina Group stock represented a 62.4% and 54.8% economic interest in the Carolina Group for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively.

Net sales for the Carolina Group were $3.969 billion in 2007, compared to $3.755 billion in the prior year. Domestic unit volume decreased 0.8% in 2007 compared to 2006, whereas the industry declined by approximately 5%.

Results of operations of the Carolina Group include interest expense on notional intergroup debt of $9 million, $16 million, $48 million and $71 million, net of taxes, for the three months and years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. At December 31, 2007, $424 million principal amount of notional intergroup debt was outstanding.

The Carolina Group stock, commonly called a tracking stock, is intended to reflect the economic performance of a defined group of the Company's assets and liabilities, referred to as the Carolina Group, principally consisting of the Company's subsidiary Lorillard, Inc. The Carolina Group, a notional group, is not a separate legal entity. The purpose of this financial information is to provide investors with additional information to use in analyzing the results of operations and financial condition of the Carolina Group, and this financial information should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial information of Loews Corporation.